Filter assembly and a refrigerator appliance

Abstract

A filter assembly includes a manifold having a male inlet port and the male outlet port and a filter cartridge having a female inlet port and a female outlet port. The male inlet port and the male outlet port are mounted to a spool body such that the male inlet port and the male outlet port extend away from the spool body. The female inlet port and the female outlet port are mounted to a casing at an end portion of the casing. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A filter assembly defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the filter assembly comprising:
 a manifold having a spool valve, the spool valve comprising a housing, a spool body, a male inlet port and a male outlet port, the spool body received in the housing such that the spool body is rotatable relative to the housing, the male inlet port and the male outlet port mounted to the spool body such that the male inlet port and the male outlet port extend away from the spool body along the axial direction, the male inlet port and the male outlet port spaced apart from each other along the radial direction; and 
 a filter cartridge mountable to the manifold, the filter cartridge comprising a casing, a filter medium, a female inlet port and a female outlet port, the filter medium disposed within the casing, the female inlet port and the female outlet port mounted to the casing at an end portion of the casing, the female inlet port sized and positioned to receive the male inlet port of the manifold when the filter cartridge is mounted to the manifold, the female outlet port sized and positioned to receive the male outlet port of the manifold when the filter cartridge is mounted to the manifold, 
 wherein the spool body has an axis of rotation about which the spool body is rotatable within the housing, the axis of rotation of the spool body being parallel to the axial direction, the male inlet port and the male outlet port of the manifold offset from the axis of rotation of the spool body along the radial direction on the spool body. 
 
     
     
       2. The filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold further comprises a plurality of O-rings, respective O-rings of the plurality of O-rings disposed on each of the male inlet port and the male outlet port of the manifold. 
     
     
       3. The filter assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the filter cartridge does not include O-rings mounted to the female inlet port or the female outlet port of the filter cartridge. 
     
     
       4. The filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the male inlet port and the male outlet port of the manifold are equidistant from the axis of rotation of the spool body along the radial direction on the spool body. 
     
     
       5. The filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the male inlet port and the male outlet port of the manifold have different cross-sectional areas in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. 
     
     
       6. The filter assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the female inlet port of the filter cartridge is not complementary to the male outlet port of the manifold and the female outlet port of the filter cartridge is not complementary to the male inlet port of the manifold. 
     
     
       7. The filter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing of the spool valve has an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, the spool valve actuatable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the male inlet port of the manifold being in fluid communication with the inlet conduit of the housing when the spool valve is in the open configuration, the male outlet port of the manifold being in fluid communication with the outlet conduit of the housing when the spool valve is in the open configuration, the male inlet port of the manifold being sealed from the inlet conduit of the housing when the spool valve is in the closed configuration, the male outlet port of the manifold being sealed from the outlet conduit of the housing when the spool valve is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
       8. The filter assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the spool body is rotatable with the filter cartridge in order to actuate the spool valve between the open configuration and the closed configuration. 
     
     
       9. The filter assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the filter cartridge further comprises a handle mounted to the casing opposite the female inlet port and the female outlet port of the filter cartridge. 
     
     
       10. A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a chilled chamber; 
 a filter assembly mounted to the cabinet, the filter assembly defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the filter assembly comprising 
 a manifold having a spool valve, the spool valve comprising a housing, a spool body, a male inlet port and a male outlet port, the spool body received in the housing such that the spool body is rotatable relative to the housing, the male inlet port and the male outlet port mounted to the spool body such that the male inlet port and the male outlet port extend away from the spool body along the axial direction, the male inlet port and the male outlet port spaced apart from each other along the radial direction; and 
 a filter cartridge mountable to the manifold, the filter cartridge comprising a casing, a filter medium, a female inlet port and a female outlet port, the filter medium disposed within the casing, the female inlet port and the female outlet port mounted to the casing at an end portion of the casing, the female inlet port sized and positioned to receive the male inlet port of the manifold when the filter cartridge is mounted to the manifold, the female outlet port sized and positioned to receive the male outlet port of the manifold when the filter cartridge is mounted to the manifold, 
 wherein the spool body has an axis of rotation about which the spool body is rotatable within the housing, the axis of rotation of the spool body being parallel to the axial direction, the male inlet port and the male outlet port of the manifold offset from the axis of rotation of the spool body along the radial direction on the spool body. 
 
     
     
       11. The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the manifold further comprises a plurality of O-rings, respective O-rings of the plurality of O-rings disposed on each of the male inlet port and the male outlet port of the manifold. 
     
     
       12. The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the filter cartridge does not include O-rings mounted to the female inlet port or the female outlet port of the filter cartridge. 
     
     
       13. The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the male inlet port and the male outlet port of the manifold are equidistant from the axis of rotation of the spool body along the radial direction on the spool body. 
     
     
       14. The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the male inlet port and the male outlet port of the manifold have different cross-sectional areas in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. 
     
     
       15. The refrigerator appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the female inlet port of the filter cartridge is not complementary to the male outlet port of the manifold and the female outlet port of the filter cartridge is not complementary to the male inlet port of the manifold. 
     
     
       16. The refrigerator appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the housing of the spool valve has an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, the spool valve actuatable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the male inlet port of the manifold being in fluid communication with the inlet conduit of the housing when the spool valve is in the open configuration, the male outlet port of the manifold being in fluid communication with the outlet conduit of the housing when the spool valve is in the open configuration, the male inlet port of the manifold being sealed from the inlet conduit of the housing when the spool valve is in the closed configuration, the male outlet port of the manifold being sealed from the outlet conduit of the housing when the spool valve is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
       17. The refrigerator appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the spool body is rotatable with the filter cartridge in order to actuate the spool valve between the open configuration and the closed configuration. 
     
     
       18. The refrigerator appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the filter cartridge further comprises a handle mounted to the casing opposite the female inlet port and the female outlet port of the filter cartridge.